Playing with fire
by Iluvbeyblade
Summary: Kai discover he has asthma the hard way. Hiro wants to help, but Kai is being typically stubborn. Hiro persists and discovers deeper feelings for the younger blader, but he's playing with fire. And when you play with fire, you get burnt.
1. Unscathed

This has been floating around in my files for a while now, until I discovered it again and instead of making it a long oneshot I decided to post it and see what you people think! Whoo, Hiro/Kai!

**--------------------**

Hiro jogged beside Max, who was flagging slightly, and grinned at him encouragingly.

"Come on, Max, you can do it!" Max laughed breathlessly. Hiro smiled and sped up, keeping a careful eye on everyone. As joint coach of the Bladebreakers and the BEGA team, he had to remember plenty of things, not the least being the amount of stamina everyone possessed. For instance, while Daichi had a reasonable amount of stamina, a respectable amount for a thirteen year-old, he constantly pushed himself to try and keep up with people like Kai and Garland, people half a decade older, and with the stamina to run for what seemed like forever. Especially Kai. On the other hand, if Ming Ming and Kenny didn't get yelled at every few minutes, they would drop out and start walking, panting like they had run twice the actual distance.

Checking his watch, Hiro saw that it was time for another loud reminder to keep running, and dropped back. He let out a silent sigh of relief at the decrease in pace. He had been running with Garland, an exhausted Tyson (who was so like Daichi in that respect it hurt) and Kai for the past ten minutes, and his legs were protesting. Not much of course, not much, just a little.

"Chief! Ming Ming! Run!" he called. With much grumbling, the two unfittest members of both teams sped up. Hiro jogged beside them for a few minutes, debated walking as it would probably be faster than the speed they were running at, and was about to check on Brooklyn when an alarmed cry rang out from the front.

"Hiro!" Tyson's panicked yell stopped everyone in their tracks. Kenny and Ming Ming looked at each other and sprinted. Hiro, silently shaking his head at the sudden burst of speed, jogged after them, not unduly concerned. Tyson panicked over a lot of things.

"Hiro, step on it!" Garland called. "Kai can't breathe!"

Hiro sprinted.

Kai was doubled over, his breathing rapid and panicked. His scarred face was dead white with shock and fright. Everyone milled around helplessly, although Hiro noticed with approval that Ray was trying (unsuccessfully) to make Kai calm down. Skidding to a halt, he grabbed Kai by the shoulders and tried to make him look at him. Kai jerked himself free, his breathing getting even faster at what he saw as a threat.

"Kai! Listen to me!" Hiro demanded, giving the gasping blader a slight shake. "Are you an asthmatic?" Kai shook his head vehemently. Air wheezed in and out of his lungs as he desperately tried to suck in as much as he could. "Well, you are now. Listen to me, all right?"

"Can't...breathe..."

"Hiro, his lips are going blue!" Ming Ming called anxiously. Hiro made a snap decision.

"Someone call an ambulance." he ordered calmly. Panicking would _not_ help the situation. Kai pulled out of his loose grip with a violence that nearly knocked them both over.

"Don't...need...an ambulance!" he snarled. Suddenly, he put both hands over his face. Everyone fell silent, confused. Hiro watched, his interest piqued. He knew what Kai was trying to do; calm himself down. Surely it was impossible at this stage in an asthma attack, no one had that kind of self-control... Kai raised his head and Hiro fought back a gasp. Okay, he was wrong. Now _that_ didn't happen every day.

"You okay, Kai?" Tyson asked nervously.

"Fine." The word came out like a barrel from a gun and Kai's eyes lost their focus with the effort of speech. Ray made his way tentatively to Kai's side and rested a hand on his arm. Kai shook him off. "I'm..._fine_." Hiro rolled his eyes, annoyed at the blader's stubbornness.

"Yeah, and I'm a pizza." he said curtly, then swore under his breath as he anticipated his brother's comment. "Tyson, don't say a _word._" Tyson grinned and nodded. "Let's head back, then." Hiro announced. There was a general movement in the direction of the BBA centre. Kai took a step forward and would have collapsed if Hiro hadn't grabbed him round the waist and hauled him upright. He began to walk after the others, maintaining his grip on Kai. He was virtually carrying him, the eighteen year-old a dead weight in his arms.

"Get...off." Kai hissed. Hiro laughed.

"Kai, I'm the only thing holding you up! You're exhausted, just learn when to give way!"

"I...don't...need...you! Let _go_!" Hiro ignored the younger blader's furious demand and carried on walking. Suddenly, a sharp pain dug into his stomach. He swore and put a hand to it, only to feel cold metal underneath his fingers. Dranzer's razor sharp blades were buried in his T-shirt.

"What the _hell_..." He jerked away and stared in shock at Kai, who glared and pulled Dranzer away slowly. "Kai, what are you _doing_? You could have seriously hurt me!" Kai laughed soundlessly and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah...right. I know what...I'm doing."

"You tried to stab me and you say you know what you're doing?" Hiro demanded incredulously.

"Let...me...go, and I...won't come...near you...again." Kai gritted out. Shrugging, Hiro stepped away, pulling up his torn T-shirt and checking for a wound. Dranzer was deadly sharp. Finding nothing except a deep scratch, he walked on, and shot a quick sideways glance at Kai. His face was grey and pinched, breath hissing out of him in hoarse gasps as he fought to keep up with the brisk pace Hiro was setting.

"Have you ever had an asthma attack before?" Hiro asked eventually, breaking the tense silence. Kai shook his head wordlessly. "You should go to a doctor, get some medication for it." Kai ignored him. His eyes were dark, and the air around him crackled with fury. "Kai, are you listen-" He broke as Kai shot him a murderous glare, his face illuminated by a sudden flash of scarlet from Dranzer. The eerie lighting empathised the silvery lines left on his face from his battle with Brooklyn and threw his face into shadow, and wisely, Hiro backed off. They walked the remainder of the way back in uncomfortable silence.

--------------------

He watched as Kai exchanged words with Ray, who looked concerned but eventually nodded, then turned on his heel and walked off. His mouth opening to call out, Hiro tried to follow him, only to find his path blocked by a certain neko-jin.

"Ray, he shouldn't be going out again!" he protested. "He's just had a severe asthma attack!"

"I know that, Hiro!" Ray snapped. For the first time, Hiro saw the worry written all over Ray's face. "He's probably feeling like seventeen different kinds of hell right about now, but if you go after him, he'll _hurt_ you." Hiro snorted.

"He tried that on the way back." He showed Ray the scratch. This time, it was Ray's turn to snort derisively.

"That was nothing compared to what he did to me when I tried to help him after his battle with Brooklyn." Hiro nodded slowly, remembering the large, disfiguring bruise and severe concussion that had sent Ray to hospital along with Kai. "Hiro, you've got to understand; to Kai, pride is everything. If he can't rely on himself, then he doesn't want anyone else helping him. That battle knocked a lot of pride out of him, a lot of self-esteem out of him, and he's clinging to the last shreds with everything he has." Hiro nodded again and tried to push past Ray. Pride or not, Kai was his responsibility. He was sure he could handle a fight if Kai wanted to start one. "Hiro, have you been listening to me?" Ray demanded. Hiro toyed with the idea of saying no. "He's dangerous, Hiro! I'm his best fried and I wouldn't go anywhere near him when he's like this! He - is - _dangerous_!" With a last, brutal shove, Hiro pushed Ray out of the way.

"So am I." he muttered and began jogging.

--------------------

There were only two places that Kai would be. The riverside, or the old warehouse. Hiro made a wild guess and headed swiftly in the direction of the river.

Looking down over the edge of the steep banks, he saw Kai lying on his side on the grass, his eyes closed.

"Hey! Kai! You all right?" he yelled.

"Peachy." came the faint, highly sarcastic reply. Hiro scrambled inelegantly down the slope and sat down next to Kai, ignoring the furious glare that he received for his actions. "What do you want?"

"Checking if you were okay."

"I'm fine." Kai rolled over, presenting his back to Hiro. "Just tired."

"I'm not surprised!" Hiro snapped. "No sane person would ever-"

"Well, then maybe I'm not sane." Kai muttered.

"Course you're not. Neither am I. We cope with Tyson on a daily basis. It's part of the job description."

"Hilarious." came the flat reply.

"I know." Hiro replied, deadpan. "So, when are you going to think about going to a doc-"

"When _I_ want to, all right?"

"In that case, we're gonna be waiting for a while..."

"Then wait! Like I care." Hiro felt an unusual flash of temper spark inside him. Forcing it down with difficulty, he stood up.

"If you're insistent on being this stubborn, then I'm damn well not going to help you!" Oops, temper _not _forced down properly...

"Fine by me." Hiro swung on his heel and strode away, fuming silently.

"Spoilt brat..." he muttered under his breath. "Wants everything _his_ way, and damn the rest of the world to hell if they don't like that!" Feeling more than a little annoyed at losing his temper so quickly, he walked faster than usual.

When he got back, he couldn't help but smirk as Ray cast a surprised glance at his unscathed body.

"Dangerous, hey Ray?" he murmured. "Not to me." He scowled. "Just drives me up the wall, that's all..."

--------------------

You know, I have no logic whatsoever. I know absolutely zilch about asthma except what I can get off the Internet, (so please, any info would be very gratefully appreciated) so what do I do? I go and start a fic where Kai has asthma. Sensible, huh?

Blame Fruits Basket, I was inspired while watching that episode where Yuki gets an attack while running.

Okay, please review! Next chapter will be up... well, whenever, really. Another example of my faultess logic; I'm already overloaded with unfinished fics, let's start a new one! Thos shouldn't be very long, though. (Now then, how many times have I said that...)

I'm shutting up now. Really. Review, _sil vous plait_! (please in French)


	2. Out Of Control

I'm so sorry it took so long! You have _no_ idea what horrendous writer's block I have! On everything!

A massive thank you to **Apple Senorita**, **kailover2006**, **Lamanth**, **If I say I love you**, **Wolf Pyralis **(yes, this was a very smart thing to do, wasn't it?), **Nkingy**, **SilverKaya**, **Elemental Gyspy**, **3-Jose-6**, **PhoenixTears25**, **Saphire Flame** and **Sam**

A special thank you to **Apple Senorita** for helping me with writing about asthma (thank you so much!! I'd have been stuck without you!) and **Lamanth**, who told me in no uncertain terms that this chapter isn't as bad as I think it is! (hugs both)

Enough from me-

(reviewers cheer)

-and on with the fic!

* * *

For the fifth time that night, Hiro yanked his pillow over his head. Still, the dry, relentless sound of Kai's coughs seeped through the polyester. Guilt and irritation boiled in his chest, and he gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he heard a door open. Curious, he flung the covers off and padded out of his room, mentally running through who could be getting up at - he checked the clock - 2 am. Ming Ming was a worrying possibility, she had an unnerving habit of sleepwalking into dangerous positions, like rooftops, Crusher and Brooklyn slept like the proverbial logs, and Garland regularly took midnight strolls around the grounds of the new BBA centre to practise. So it was probably Garland, Hiro told himself firmly. _But what about Kai?_ his conscience insisted.

The seventeen year-old was staying at the BBA compound of his own choice - apparently, he was fed up of Tyson's snoring. And according to Ray, Kai was prone to getting up in the middle of the night to train.

If he hadn't just heard Kai trying to cough up his intestines, he might have left it there. But no, he followed the sound of the near-silent footsteps until he found Kai in the kitchen.

Kai was leaning on the kitchen counter, still coughing softly and pouring himself a drink of water with hands that shook visibly. Raising the glass to his lips, he downed half of it in one gulp. The water did nothing; his coughs seemed to increase in violence. He stumbled over to the chair and collapsed down onto it, putting his head on his folded arms. His eyes flashed recognition as he caught sight of Hiro, who had been standing quite visibly in the doorway.

"Go away." he muttered. Hiro smirked. Walking in, he sat down opposite Kai.

"No such luck." Kai mumbled something obscene under his breath and looked away. "Do you know what's happening to you, Kai?" There was a long pause. Kai shrugged.

"I can't breathe properly, that's what. And I can't stop coughing." He sounded angry with himself, Hiro realised with a jolt.

"You're having another asthma attack. Just concentrate on breathing."

"I would if I could!" Kai snarled, sending Hiro the glare that had cowed people twice his age. Hiro returned it steadily.

"Calm down." he said quietly. "That's not helping matters."

"I _am_ calm." came the sullen response. Hiro fought the urge to snort derisively. Instead, he remained silent and simply waited, listening to Kai's ragged breathing. He knew the way that Kai's mind worked; it wasn't entirely dissimilar to his own. At the moment, there would be one question burning away behind those violet eyes, one very important question that sheer stubbornness on Kai's part was keeping unsaid. Finally, a full hour later, his breathing back to normal, it came.

"This ... asthma. Will I still ... Will it affect my blading?" Even in the darkness, Hiro could see the colour rise to Kai's face at what he saw as admitting a weakness.

"If you don't go to the doctor, then yes." he replied bluntly. Kai flinched. Even though both of his hands were under the table, Hiro knew that he had clenched both hands into fists by the tautness of his biceps.

"You can stop looking at me like that now." Kai said, his voice tight. "Tyson told me you were a poof." Hiro shrugged.

"Does that bother you?" Kai looked uncomfortable. Not for long, just a split second, but Hiro caught it and grinned inwardly. "No? Good." He stood up. "I'm going back to bed now. You look quite comfortable there, are you staying?" Kai's eyes flashed and he stood, a touch unsteadily.

"Did I say I would?" he demanded coldly. "I have no desire to sit in here all night."

"All morning." A flicker of confusion crossed Kai's tired face. "It's three in the morning." Kai glared at him fiercely. Hiro blanched at the icy fury in Kai's eyes and face, and hastily tried to cover it up.

Too late. Kai's lips curved in a satisfied smile and he turned around, heading for his room. Hiro looked at the rapidly receding figure and shook his head slowly. Kai was so predictable at times. And at other times, he could only guess what went on in the younger blader's mind. A smirk crept onto his face.

Confusing or not, Kai _was_ pretty damn easy on the eye… Laughing softly at himself, he headed back to bed.

* * *

"Come on Tyson, you slacker, put your back into it! Your brother might think you can't be improved on, but I'm not that blind! As long as I can still do _this_ - " Dranzer executed a lightning-quick double-turn, which Dragoon tried to follow, failed and ended up spinning to a dismal halt. " - then you still need to train!"

"Aw, Kai, do you have to be so serious _all _the time?" Tyson complained, scooping Dragoon up and readying himself for another launch. Kai rolled his eyes.

"It's called training, Tyson. Something that I know you're still not too familiar with. Now, launch!" Tyson cast an uncertain glance to where Dranzer still spun in the dish.

"Aren't you going to re-launch?" he asked cautiously.

"No." Kai snapped. He smirked. "Have I ever shown you just how long Dranzer can spin for?" Tyson shrugged.

"Yeah, but you'll be battling me at same time, that's gotta do _something_ to your stamina!"

"You're too overconfident, Tyson. Launch, _now_." With a last, doubtful look, Tyson gave the ripcord a powerful yank. With seconds, the two heavy blades were smashing into each other. Tyson let out an involuntary gasp as Dranzer dodged under Dragoon's defence and delivered a powerful blow.

"Hey Kai, calm down!" he exclaimed. He might as well have been a fly for all the notice that Kai took of him, a quick, disdainful raise of his eyebrows and he was back on the attack. This time, Tyson stumbled backwards. White light glimmered in Dranzer's bit-chip "Kai, stop it!" Tyson cried. "You know Hiro says no bit-beasts!"

"Screw Hiro." was Kai's emphatic response. "Battle me, Tyson." Tyson looked around quickly. They were too far away from the rest of the bladers for him to call out; best he just tried to end this battle as soon as possible. No one had liked the colour of Kai's face when he came out of his room that morning; surely he was in no state to fight at full strength.

"Go, Dragoon!" he shouted. White light glowed and pulsed over his bit-chip, and the imposing wind dragon rose up with a bellow. A dark grin crossed Kai's pale face and Dranzer soared free with a rasping shriek. Scarlet feathers fell, dancing in the currents swirling around the two strongest of the legendary sacred spirits as they faced each other.

Warily, Dragoon began to circle Dranzer. Just as Dragon's eyes were fixed on Dranzer, Tyson was watching Kai intently, trusting to his connection with Dragoon to tell him what was happening.

Like a striking snake, Dranzer's beak flashed, scoring a direct hit against Dragoon's side, the beyblade smashing against each other. Jolted back to attention, Tyson focused on Dragoon. Seconds, a heavy blow from a clawed hand sent the phoenix reeling back a few yards.

"That's better, Tyson." Frightened, Tyson forced himself to hold Kai's gaze. He knew that look. Wide eyes, tiny pupils, broad grin: Kai was fighting with every ounce of strength he could summon up, and then some. Where is it, then? he wondered. Where is this power, Kai?

In a swift, deadly movement, Dranzer struck, in and out again. Dragoon roared in retaliation, too slow to swipe at the phoenix on the return.

"Speed up, Tyson!" Kai goaded, that mad grin still clear on his face. "I'll have to get you training with Ray more often."

The beyblades circled around each other, Dranzer constantly dodging any attack made bodily by the air dragon. Tyson was getting frustrated at how easily Kai was evading his attacks, yet he didn't dare to attack elementally. Not with Kai in such a strange, unstable state.

"Fight me, damn you!" Ok, Kai wanted him to fight elementally? How did that work? Surely he knew his own limits … Tyson's thoughts froze as he remembered the fight with Brooklyn, even with himself. No, Kai had no idea of his limits. As far as he was concerned, his limits were how far he dared to push himself.

I've got to beat him, quick! Tyson realised. Before something bad happens.

"Dragoon!" he yelled. The dragon raised its arms and bellowed, apparently as eager as Kai to get down to some serious fighting. In an instant, a raging hurricane ripped at the combatants clothes, rocking the royal blue blade from side to side as it slashed at Dranzer's feathers. "Dragoon, Cyclone Explosion!" The hurricane exploded outwards in a devastating blur of sharp-edged gusts of wind. Dranzer shrieked as he was engulfed in the slashing squalls, and seemed to shrink back. Tyson eased up slightly, not wanting to damage Kai's blade.

A faint hiss distracted him, and he looked up, biting back a gasp at what he saw. _Kai had been joined to Dranzer all along_

There were huge rips in the older blader's clothes, with blood seeping from more than a few of them. A large bruise was forming on his arm from Dragoon's blow earlier.

Most frightening of it all was the look in his eyes and the strange light curling under Dranzer's feathers. Blue sparks fizzed around his beyblade.

"Is that your best shot, Tyson?" Kai whispered. Before Tyson had a chance to reply or make a defence, fire engulfed Dranzer. The raging fireball soared up, up and up until Tyson had to squint against the light of the sun to see it. "_Dranzer! Solar Flare_!" Kai screamed.

Like the raging fire that eats away entire forests, Dranzer fell through the sky, blazing through the hastily constructed tornado that Tyson managed at the last second. With a noise similar to that of a missile landing, the fire and air sprits connected. A wave of pure, super-heated air spread out, and both bladers struggled with the sudden feeling of light-headedness. Tyson fell to his knees, his head reeling, seconds from passing out.

"Hang on, guys!"

The air, previously misted red, returned to normal abruptly and Tyson shivered as water sprinkled over him. Turning, he saw Max and Mystel, faces tight with concentration, blue eyes intense as their respective water bit-beasts set about counter-acting the tremendous heat. He turned his head again and saw Kai, still standing, straining and trembling in every muscle as he fought to push the two spirits back.

"Kai! Quit it!" he yelled fearfully. "You'll hurt yourself!" Suddenly, like a ghost appearing from nowhere, Hiro stepped up behind Kai, launching Metal Driger straight at Dranzer. Under attack from three directions, even Kai's iron determination was no longer enough to keep Dranzer going. The beyblade skidded, spun erratically and stopped. The magnificent phoenix let out a sad cry and disappeared into thousands of tiny lights.

* * *

Shaking and hot with exertion, Kai picked up Dranzer and walked off, trying not to show how he was having to fight for breath, or how the cuts in his skin burned relentlessly. Yells rang out behind him, but he tuned them out and walked on.

It was always so much harder to stay composed with nothing to focus on. Best to never let emotions get the better of you, keep up a front. He let out a choked laugh. Well, that had failed, hadn't it? He hadn't lost control in a beybattle like that since … well, a long, long time. Even with Brooklyn, he had been in control. Not of the battle, not until the very end anyway, but of himself.

He had been too angry to think, too angry, and, yes, too afraid.

Kai Hitwatari? Scared? No. He wasn't scared, or afraid.

He was terrified. Terrified that his sudden, infuriating ailment meant that he would never be able to blade to his full strength again. That was why he had pushed himself so far, lost control totally and given sanity to the winds in favour of the sheer, raw elemental power Dranzer possessed.

He had lost Dranzer, the one thing he would admit to caring for, and survived, at least until Kenny could remake his beyblade and bit-chip. But if he lost the ability to beyblade …

He hated the sport and loved it in equal measures. It was what had torn his family apart; it was what had given him a whole new one in the form of fellow bladers ... friends.

He couldn't stop. He _wouldn't_. Almost without noticing, he fell to all fours, coughing and gasping for breath. I'm _fine_, he told himself stubbornly. _Fine._

* * *

Hiro raised his head as he saw Kai coming through the door

"You okay?" he asked, a touch more softly than he had intended. The powerful, indomitable blader looked half-dead. Amethyst eyes were half-shut, and the blue triangles stood out starkly, glowing against his ashen face.

"Whatever. I need a drink." came the muttered reply. Hiro opened his mouth to retort sharply, then changed his mind and stood up.

"Mind if I join you?" Kai shrugged, already rummaging through the drinks cupboard.

"It's a free country."

"Yeah, I wish." A faint smirk curved Kai's thin, bloodless lips and he sat down heavily, a bottle of wine held loosely in his hand. "Oh, so now I have to get the glasses?" Kai shrugged again.

"I'm happy drinking from the bottle." he said darkly. Sending Kai a warning glare - he was damned if he was letting him drink himself into oblivion right in front of him - Hiro went hunting for glasses.

"Garland? Where did you put the glasses?" The young man shrugged, his silver ponytail swinging from side to side as he turned his head from watching the beybattle between Ming-Ming and Brooklyn.

"In some cupboard or other. Kitchen, I think." Grumbling under his breath, and well aware of the amused glance Garland was sending his way behind his back, Hiro headed for the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, he returned, two wine glasses in his hand. Stopping dead, his glare took on death-like proportions.

"Kai, how _much_ have you drunk?" Kai regarded him tiredly and said nothing, holding out the half-empty bottle towards Hiro in a gesture that said clearly: _that much._ Taking it, Hiro poured himself a generous amount and sat down in the chair a little away from Kai's. "You scared the hell outta Tyson this morning." he began sternly.

"Do I care?" Hiro sighed loudly.

"By the sounds of it, no." he said sardonically.

"Dead right." Kai leaned his head back against the chair and shut his eyes. "Hiro?" he asked at last.

"Yeah?" Kai opened his mouth, then shook his head minutely and closed it again.

"Pass me the bottle" he said eventually.

Half an hour later and halfway down the second bottle, Kai stood abruptly and began pacing, albeit a little unsteadily. Backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. Hiro glanced up at him curiously.

"Kai, what the hell are you doing?"

"Peeling potatoes." Kai shot back sarcastically. His white cheeks were flushed with drink. As he turned for the third time the combination of drink and blind exhaustion made him lose his balance completely. Hiro got there just in time to stop him from collapsing to the floor.

For a split second, Kai lay limp in Hiro's arms, eyes half-open, breathing shallowly. Then, he was striving to push himself upright, movements clumsy, eyes feverishly bright with panic and rage that Hiro couldn't begin to comprehend. Helping the semi-conscious blader back to his chair and grimacing at the weight - there might be a height difference between them, but there damn well wasn't a weight difference - he heard something, uttered in a barely audible whisper, that made the fog of confusion surrounding Kai's behaviour a little clearer.

"I'm shit-scared, Hiro…"

* * *

Well, there we are! Hope you all liked it!

One point, raised by PhoenixTears25's review. Whenever I'm writing about Kai soonish after his battle with Brooklyn, I like to put that he has scars from that battle, specifically on his face and arms. Don't ask me why, it's just what I do. If the last chapter confused anyone with my mentions of scars, that's why they were there!

Ok, thanks very much for reading! Please boost my ego and my determination to beat this (many censored words) writer's block by reviewing! Or just because you want to. :p


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